Exclusive | US analyst hails Ayatollah Khamenei’s legacy of Iranian independence

Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of the [Persian] Gulf State Analytics and researcher specializing in West Asian affairs

New York, IRNA – An American analyst says that the most important intellectual and political legacies of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, include Iran’s national independence, the preservation of the country’s sovereignty, and Tehran’s resistance to foreign domination.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA published on Thursday, Giorgio Cafiero, the CEO of the [Persian] Gulf State Analytics, said that Ayatollah Khamenei has been influential in promoting the idea of resistance against external coercion.

He added that the concept of resistance toward external coercion is based on the belief that strategic patience, self-reliance, and regional cooperation will strengthen the Islamic Republic of Iran’s position both regionally and internationally.

“Supporters of the Islamic Republic of Iran credited the second supreme leader with having meaningfully articulated a long-term strategy based on solidarity among regional organizations and movements that oppose Western military intervention and Israel’s expansionist policies,” he noted.

The full text of his remarks is as follows:

For many in Iran and elsewhere, the most important intellectual and political legacies of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s second supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, pertain to his emphasis on Iran’s national independence, preservation of his country’s sovereignty, and Tehran’s resistance to foreign domination. Since he took the helm in 1989, he has transformed these principles into a coherent strategic doctrine that has helped guide Tehran through a challenging period shaped by intense pressure, sanctions, and armed conflict.

The former supreme leader was influential for his upholding of the concept of resistance toward external coercion, which rested on the argument that strategic patience, self-reliance, and regional cooperation would bolster the Islamic Republic of Iran’s regional and international position. For many years, this approach did much to influence Tehran’s foreign policy, especially regarding how Iran built up networks of alliances to counter Western and Israeli designs for the region.

For those in Iran and elsewhere supportive of Ali Khamenei, these principles helped Iran uphold its independence while expanding Tehran’s influence across multiple regions, making resistance a comprehensive political, economic, and cultural framework.

During the years in which Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was at the helm (1989-2026), the Axis of Resistance grew significantly. Supporters of the Islamic Republic of Iran credited the second supreme leader with having meaningfully articulated a long-term strategy based on solidarity among regional organizations and movements that oppose Western military intervention and Israel’s expansionist policies.

Rather than viewing individual organizations in isolation, supporters argue that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promoted a shared strategic vision built upon political coordination, mutual support, and collective deterrence. From this perspective, defenders of the Axis of Resistance understand it as a political and ideological framework centered on regional self-determination and support for the Palestinian cause. Those in the pro-Iran camp argue that this strategy has altered regional power dynamics by increasing the costs of military confrontation with its members.

The strategy of resistance has become the defining principle of Iran’s national security doctrine. Amid times of intensified conflict dynamics in the region, this strategy has emphasized resilience, deterrence, and the avoidance of strategic concessions under military or economic pressure.

From this perspective, Iran’s policies continue to prioritize maintaining strategic depth through regional partnerships while investing in domestic defense capabilities and technological advancement. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s supporters believe these policies have allowed Tehran to withstand many years of external pressure without abandoning its core political objectives. They also argue that the existence of a coordinated resistance network has compelled Washington and its allies in the region, chiefly Israel, to, at times, reconsider the costs and risks associated with direct military confrontation. In their view, the balance of power in the region has shifted from US–Israeli hegemony toward one shaped increasingly by deterrence and interconnected regional actors. This perspective holds that Ayatollah Khamenei’s enduring legacy is the institutionalization of resistance as both a strategic doctrine and a long-term political vision that continues to influence the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policies.